This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
by Alley Cat Sunflower
Summary: AU. Because the most powerful couple in the universe is by no means immune to lovers' quarrels. In fact, it might be argued that their spats are worse than usual, because things tend to get blown a *little* bit out of proportion with two such strong individuals trying to prove their respective points… I do not own Tales of Xillia!


_This time for sure! Ryuchu, this one's for you!_

* * *

><p>"What a way to run a kingdom," snapped Milla, staring up at her husband's impassive face with crossed arms. "I <em>told<em> you to ask for help, and did you listen? No! You just did it all by yourself… as usual." She sighed heavily, scuffing her stockinged foot against the ground.

Gaius narrowed his eyes, gazing steadily down at his beloved wife. Overreacting wasn't like her, but he supposed—given her condition—it was forgivable. However, that certainly didn't mean he would simply bow down, because by no means did omnipotence make her automatically in the right. "And I suppose _you_ rule the spirit world with order that would put all my efforts to shame," he responded as evenly as possible, and their eyes met.

"As a matter of fact, I do," returned Milla, annoyance sparking in her incarnadine irises, and Gaius took a moment to reflect on whether or not it was worth an argument—but the answer, of course, was always yes. He _never _backed down from a challenge. "I rule with a fair and even hand over my infinite subjects. And if I ever need help… I _ask _for it. Ivar, Muzét… you," she added, rattling off a few examples.

Sighing heavily, Gaius placed his hands firmly on his wife's shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Milla," he said, and paused, ensuring that each word he spoke would carry weight. "I. Did. Not. Need. Help." It was true that he'd once had the Chimeriad to assist him and, even years later, was still getting accustomed to their absence… but he liked to think he was a capable enough monarch on his own. No—he had no need to merely think something like that; it was the truth.

Milla, however, evidently begged to differ, standing on one hip. "Is that _so_, King Gaius?" she asked, brushing his hands off her shoulders with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "What kind of a king ignores the advice of his loyal spouse and arbitrarily decides to do something like this alone? That kind of judgment could seriously harm your people—_my _people!"

"That kind of judgment is called _wisdom_," retorted Gaius, stung, and crossed his arms, automatically standing with his feet apart in something of a battle stance. "If a king blindly follows the counsel of all who advise him, then he is a fool." He shook his head slowly. "Besides, there's no need for me to waste resources when I'm perfectly capable by myself. I acted on my own, so those resources instead went to those in Kanbalar who truly needed them."

"Then why did you keep it from me?!" flared up Milla, thrusting her face threateningly up towards his in an unusually overt display of aggression; ordinarily she was at least a little more subtle about her anger.

Gaius deliberated a moment before attempting to lean his forehead against hers appeasingly, but she sidestepped and he merely swayed in place. "_Milla_," he growled. "I'm a very busy man, and sometimes, I don't have time to confide in you—and as you were away today, I thought it as good a time as any to—"

"To _what_, Gaius?" challenged Milla furiously, interrupting with her hands on her hips. "I could have handled this much better, and you know it." She paused, but gave him no time to explain. "Didn't you talk to Rowen? Your legion of servants? And you probably didn't even _look_ at the…" She trailed off, her eyes breaking away from his face and roving around the room for the first time since she had entered it.

Gaius said nothing, shifting his weight uncomfortably as she observed the books strewn around the room, a few loose papers scattered here and there. "What was wrong with the old order?" snapped Milla suddenly, glowering, magenta eyes stormy as they met his once more, and he glared back at her somewhat unwillingly. "I thought you were satisfied with absolutely everything in your kingdom! I never thought you'd do something like _this_ just for my sake."

Gaius sighed, raising a hand to his forehead briefly. "I'd do _anything_ for your sake," he assured her, though his words sounded tense. If she kept picking fights and undermining his authority as monarch, well, that might not be so true anymore.

"But this is chaos," said Milla, eyes wide. "This is _carnage_," she added, apparently having reached the end of her words.

"Well then," responded Gaius, through grit teeth, and turned his back. "If you don't think the efforts of a mere mortal such as myself are good enough for the Lord of Spirits—if you're not happy with all I've gone through to please you—then perhaps you'd best return to the spirit world, where everything is orderly under your just command." His words fairly dripped with resentment, but he couldn't help himself.

"Maybe I will!" she snarled, eyes flashing like fuchsia lightning and burning into his back. "And we'll see how Rieze Maxia fares without its queen!" Gaius, rather than point out that she would still indirectly rule his country even if they _did_ separate, simply strode towards the open doorway. He wasn't sure how much longer he could go on with his every effort underappreciated, especially if it meant the whole castle would hear the arguments that resulted.

"Wait," whispered Milla. "Aren't you even going to say you're sorry?" she continued in a hushed voice, and he halted in the doorway, unsure whether her words had truly been directed towards him.

"And what should I apologize for, Milla?" he asked tonelessly, but refused to face her once more. Gaius wasn't entirely sure he was able to keep the chill out of his voice, but a relationship's longevity depended upon ability to get past conflict like this—and at least he (sort of) _tried_, unlike a certain spirit he had married. "I was trying to make you _happy_."

Milla heaved an exaggerated sigh. "At least admit you were wrong about needing help," she argued. "You can't do everything alone. Especially something like… like this." He glanced over his shoulder to see her gesturing vaguely around the room.

"Gaius, just face it," she added, and as he turned around with a resigned sigh, she smacked him suddenly in the face with a booklet of some sort; he recoiled. "You have _no idea_ how to build a bookshelf."

After recovering from the blow, Gaius opened his mouth to give his excuse (she was out visiting her friends; she was pregnant; he wanted to prove his masculinity once and for all)… and then, he noticed that the heretofore unnoticed pamphlet that she held was marked _'Instructions'_', and found himself unable to suppress a slightly sheepish smile.

Maybe, reflected Gaius, as his eyes slid over to the crooked frame and slanted shelves with newly opened eyes—maybe, his beloved wife had a point after all.


End file.
